Colors Get Cozy: Paint Companies’ 2018 Colors of the Year – By Angela Jackson

Behr’s 2018 Paint Color of the Year: In the Moment

Photo Credit: Behr

Colors evoke mood. And paint manufacturers are telling us that we want to be enveloped in coziness this year through their paint trend forecasts for 2018. Maybe it’s the uncertainty in the world that has us craving a comforting hug from our interiors. Or maybe it’s just a transition from the ultra-light, neutral interiors that have been so popular the last few years.

Whatever the reason, the 2018 Colors of the Year will provide what we are craving; including darker, more saturated colors that promote a peaceful feeling through undertones of blues, greens and grays.

In the Moment is the lightest of the 2018 Colors of the Year. The other major paint companies all chose darker more saturated colors. But Behr chose this color for its soothing quality. This is the perfect example of combining blue, gray and green for a calming effect. According to Behr, this color “evokes a sense of sanctuary and relaxation amid our busy, always-on lives. In name and color, this hue speaks to our desire to take a break, be present and recharge.” It works well for both exteriors, as seen on that perfect door and interiors.

PPG Paints owns Glidden. So it’s not surprising that their Color of the Year is very similar. Where Deep Onyx is a very dark charcoal, Black Flame is actually a combination of black and navy, so it can work as both. According to their website, the “black creates the silence we crave in an information-heavy world, while the navy offers possibility and a deep hopefulness.” Sounds good to me! I can see this as a beautiful front door, interior doors, or as an accent wall in a room with a lot of whites and neutral colors.

Sherwin Williams 2018 Color of the Year: Oceanside

Photo credit: Sherwin Williams

According to Sherwin Williams, the forecasted colors for 2018 will speak to our desires for sincerity, unity and connectivity. Oceanside is the perfect mix of blue and green. It is both deep and complex, while balancing those two universal and familiar colors. Their website states that it is a “multi-dimensional, marine-inspired look” that will look wonderfully for creating a welcoming front door. It would also work well in a home office to “boost creative thinking and clarity of thought”. Or even in a bedroom or reading nook to “invite meditation and introspection”. This beautiful shade of teal is my favorite color and will be used as a feature wall in my dining room this year. I am just in love with this color! It would also be beautiful in a high- gloss paint on built-ins or furniture.

Benjamin Moore’s 2018 Color of the Year: Caliente

Photo credit: John Bessler, Architectural Digest

Benjamin Moore did not hold back when it came to their color selection this year. While red may appear to be the opposite of cozy, Caliente is a warm, comforting red that does not shock, but comforts and lures you in. Benjamin Moore’s director of strategic design intelligence, Ellen O’Neill, said it perfectly in an interview with Architectural Digest when she said, “We discovered examples of the comfort red brings—the cocooning; the assuredness. If you’re out there and you’re afraid to turn the television on at night because you don’t know what’s coming, you’re in this secure red space in a way that’s grounding and enveloping.” I’ve seen this trend coming. I think it might take a little longer to catch on that the more “safe” choices other paint companies made this year. But all you have to do is look at the runways and notice all the red that’s being shown this year. Design tends to follow fashion, so if we are seeing everywhere in fashion, and now Benjamin Moore has legitimized it for home, you can believe it will come back. I would suggest using it for a classic, but fun front door. It would also work well in a high gloss on a beautiful cabinet.

Olympic Paints 2018 Color of the Year: Black Magic

Photo credit: Olympic Paints

Another dark, moody black, Black Magic by Olympic Paints was chosen to convey a sense of calm and sanctuary in our lives. Contrary to the open and airy interiors that have been so popular, Olympic says, “consumers often feel uneasy, restless, or like their privacy is being invaded, so they crave deep, comforting colors that offer a welcomed escape from the chaos of daily life.” This is another one that would be perfect for exterior or interior doors, accents, or even a ceiling in an otherwise white/neutral room.

Glidden’s 2018 Color of the Year: Deep Onyx

Deep Onyx is a really deep charcoal that is almost black. Glidden calls it “a classic, deep rich black.” But it does not read as a true black to me. This is the perfect color for exterior or interior doors or as an accent color most anywhere. It has enough of a gray undertone to keep it from being too stark.

Photo credit: Glidden

So there you have it, from light to dark to bold, the 2018 Colors of the Year speak to our desire for comfort and security in this uncertain world. What are your favorite choices?